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| South Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Overview | |||
| Native name | Sydbanen | ||
| Owner | Banedanmark | ||
| Termini |
| ||
| Stations | 9 | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | High-speed rail | ||
| Operator(s) | DSB | ||
| History | |||
| Planned opening | 2024 (partial) 2027 (whole) | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 142.3 km (88.4 mi) | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge | ||
| Operating speed | 200 km/h (125 mph) | ||
| Signalling | ERTMS | ||
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TheSouth Line (Danish:Sydbanen) is a government-owned railway line inDenmark. Technically, the line connectsRingsted withNykøbing Falster, from which it branches toGedser andRødbyhavn. In practice, Ringsted is not the terminal station, so the line is often said to continue toCopenhagen.
The railway is part of theVogelfluglinie from Copenhagen toHamburg. On Sydbanen's southwestern end at Rødby, aScandlines ferry line exists to the German coastal town ofPuttgarden, from where theLübeck–Puttgarden railway andLübeck–Hamburg railway lead to Hamburg. TheFehmarn Belt Tunnel, to be completed in 2029, will replace the ferry service.[1] From 2020 until 2028 trains go only to Nykøbing, with frequent closures due to rebuilding.
The originalZealand South Line was completed for the privately ownedZealand Railway Company (Danish:Det Sjællandske Jernbaneselskab) and opened on 4 October 1870. It connectedRoskilde (and thusCopenhagen via theWest Line) withMasnedsund on the south coast ofZealand viaKøge,Næstved andVordingborg.[2] From Masnedsund there was a steamship connection across theStorstrømmen strait toOrehoved on the north coast of the island ofFalster.
In 1880, the Zealand Railway Company was taken over by the Danish state, and in 1885 became part of the nationalrailway companyDSB.[3]
After the opening of the Ringsted-Næstved Line in 1924, most trains between Copenhagen and South Zealand used the route viaRingsted instead of the original route viaKøge. The rump section betweenRoskilde andNæstved viaKøge became known as theLittle South Line (Danish:Lille Syd).
The line is being upgraded toERTMS, (Køge-)Næstved-Nykøbing in 2021, and the rest in 2028.[4] Furthermore, 55 km of new tracks are being laid, to smooth out curves, allowing for 200 km/h (125 mph) when done. These works are expected to finish in 2021. Afterwards, the line will be electrified, slated for partial introduction in 2024, and completion all the way in 2027 when a newStorstrøm Bridge will open.[5] The railway Nykøbing–Rødby will be in operation only when theFehmarn Belt Tunnel is opened around 2029.
Between Copenhagen and Næstved there are four routes that trains can use:
Stations with passenger stops from Ringsted and southbound are:
Download coordinates as:
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